Exposing living organisms to negative oxidation reduction potential conditions provides a number of health benefits. For example, beneficial anaerobic bacteria in the human digestive tract grow better under reducing conditions (Curr. Tr. Options in Gastr. 2007, 10: 312-321). Evidence suggests that negative oxidation reduction potential (“NORP” or “negative ORP”) may also provide benefits in modulating inflammatory responses in the treatment of colitis and inflammatory bowel disease (Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2006, 24:701-714).
NORP conditions are also believed to provide antioxidant benefits similar to vitamins and enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Thus, NORP materials are considered to function as scavengers of reactive oxygen species including free radicals (J. of App. Electrochem. 2001 31: 1307-1313). Negative ORP water is reported to provide benefits in treating diabetes and metabolic syndrome (Cytotech. 2002, 40: 139-142; Nutr. Res. 2008; 28:137-143).
Not surprisingly, commercial devices have been developed for producing NORP drinking water. Water electrolyzers, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,615 for example, use an electric current to produce alkaline NORP drinking water in the home. These devices have two drawbacks. First, the NORP produced by electrolyzers is unstable and water treated with these devices loses its NORP over time. Electrolytically treated drinking water must therefore be consumed soon after it is treated in order to obtain its NORP benefits. Second, electrolytic devices are impractical for portable use due to their size and need for an electrical power source and connection to a water tap.
Another means for producing reduced drinking water is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 7,189,330 to Hayashi et al. This document describes a device comprising grains of elemental magnesium and silver which are encased in a ceramic housing in the form of a stick. In practice, these sticks are placed in drinking water for the production of ‘hydrogen rich’ NORP drinking water.
Applicant observed that the Hayashi et al. device suffers from a number of limitations. First, drinking water treated with the Hayashi et al. device only achieved a NORP of about −50 mV to −100 mV. Second, Applicant observed that the Hayashi et al. device took several hours to produce this slightly increased NORP. The third disadvantage that Applicant observed was that the NORP produced by the Hayashi et al. device was unstable as the treated water returned to its initial oxidation reduction state shortly after the device was removed. Fourth, Applicant observed that the Hayashi et al. device has a limited useful life due to the oxidation of the device's magnesium and silver grains. Fifth, the Hayashi et al. device has a certain potential for microbial cross-contamination since it is designed for multiple uses and might be used to treat the drinking water of different individuals.
Applicant noted that what was needed in the art therefore was a portable means for quickly and efficiently producing a strong, stable NORP in drinking water and other consumable materials almost without any potential for microbial contamination.